Report: Egypt prisons 300% over capacity

The National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) revealed yesterday that Egyptian detention centres are currently holding 300 per cent more detainees than they have capacity for.

In a statement, the council stressed the need to reconsider the 24-month detention period before trials are held.

Earlier this month, the Cairo Criminal Court acquitted seven defendants who spent 33 months in detention ahead of their trial.

The seven, including Egyptian-American Aya Hijazi, were accused of exploiting and trafficking street children and violating them.

The organisation said holding people in prison before their trial means that, should they be acquitted, they would have served time for a crime they did not commit.